The Governor's Gambit
by vinkunwildflowerqueen
Summary: Governor Frexspar Thropp can think of nothing more ridiculous than the idea of his eldest daughter dating the Vinkun prince. He's got one card left to play in the hopes of making Elphaba see sense. Because surely, the Vinkun King and Queen must disapprove of the idea as much as he does, right? Musical verse. Shiz-era. AU. Fiyeraba.
1. The Meeting

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any characters you've seen in** _ **Wicked**_ **the musical. Any others are my creation.**

 **AN. This is an overdue fic for Fiction is the Truth as a reward for being the 100th reviewer of** _ **After Forever.**_ **The request was "a Fiyeraba meet the parents type thing" oneshot. I did warn you that my prompts never turn out as expected, so here goes! Longer explanation down the bottom.**

 **The Governor's Gambit**

 **By Vinkunwildflowerqueen**

 **The Meeting**

Frex sat at a table in the restaurant, sipping a glass of scotch as he waited for the remainder of his party to arrive. The restaurant was dimly lit and quiet, and the corner booth he was seated in, per his request, meant the table was sheltered both from curious observers and anyone wanting to eavesdrop- as long as one spoke at normal volume.

Even from his seat, however, he had a clear view of the door. Beyond it, the city streets gleamed. The emerald glare was obvious even from this distance, sparkling under the light of a weak late afternoon February sun.

Frex hated the Emerald City.

He hadn't been here since his honeymoon with Melena, some twenty-eight years ago. Business rarely took him out of Munchkinland, and if he had to deal with anyone from the Emerald City, he preferred to meet elsewhere.

He'd always had the excuse of not wanting to leave Nessarose for long to agree on a compromise between the Emerald City and Colwen Grounds.

But that hadn't been an option this time.

The door to the restaurant opened, and a couple stepped inside. Frex tried to glance over inconspicuously as they took off their coats and spoke to a staff member, studying them nonchalantly before he ascertained that yes, this was who he was expecting.

He set his shoulders and finished his drink. This was his one chance.

As he was facing them, there was no sense in pretending he hadn't seen them approach. As they followed the waiter over towards the table, Frex rose to his feet.

"Governor Thropp, I presume?" the man greeted him, offering a firm hand to shake.

Frex bowed his head slightly. "Your Majesties."

King Ibrahim of the Vinkus shook his head slightly. "Let's not stand on ceremony, shall we? We're not meeting as heads of state here. Frexspar, this is my wife, Kasmira."

"Hello, Frexspar," the queen said politely.

"Kasmira," Frex responded in turn, shaking her hand also.

They took their seats and the waiter took the king and queen's drink orders as well as another scotch for Frex before disappearing.

"How was your journey?" Frex asked.

He loathed small talk, but he didn't want to get into the planned subject matter until he knew they wouldn't be interrupted.

"It was fine, thank you," Kasmira replied. "We got in last night. You?"

"I arrived a few hours ago," Frex said.

And he'd be leaving for Munchkinland again directly after this. He didn't want to linger any longer than possible.

The waiter returned with drinks for the king and queen and offered them food, although all refused. With a small bow, the waiter let them be. They were alone.

"Your letter said you wanted to meet." Ibrahim finally addressed Frex after a moment of silence.

Frex inclined his head. "I did. And I thank you for agreeing to the meeting."

Kasmira smiled faintly. "We're always happy for a chance to visit the Emerald City. Plus, it gives us an excuse to stop in at Shiz and visit Fiyero on our way home. Will you be stopping to see your daughters?"

Frex's lips pursed slightly. It almost wasn't visible.

With any luck, if this meeting were a success, his daughters would never hear of him being anywhere in the vicinity of Shiz.

"No," he said curtly. "I have business waiting for me back in Munchkinland."

Ibrahim nodded, and then paused.

"The Vinkus doesn't have much cause for business with Munchkinland," he commented.

It was true. The last time Ibrahim and Kasmira could remember corresponding with the Munchkinland Governor had been some five years ago, for the thirtieth year commemoration of the beginning of the Vinko-Munchkin War.

Frex took a sip of his scotch.

"No," he agreed. "However, I do believe that will be changing."

The king and queen said nothing, but Ibrahim raised an inquisitive eyebrow ever so slightly.

"Your son is dating my daughter," Frex continued.

Kasmira and Ibrahim exchanged a glance briefly.

"Yes," Kasmira nodded, her tone slow. "He is."

This wasn't news to any of them.

Elphaba and Fiyero had been dating for almost two years by this point. Frex had met with Fiyero, and the king and queen had hosted Elphaba at the Vinkus more than once.

"And you know of his intentions?"

Ibrahim's brow creased slightly. "He intends to marry her."

Frex barely supressed a sigh. He'd feared as much.

"Elphaba has eluded as much," he said reluctantly. "In that case, I thought it prudent we should meet before any engagement is formed. To discuss the details."

Kasmira looked wary. "I think this is a discussion that should involve Elphaba and Fiyero," she said. "It will be _their_ marriage, after all. Also, I don't think there's going to be an engagement within the next year, at least."

Ibrahim nodded in agreement. "I know that Elphaba wants to finish school first."

"They graduate in three months," Frex pointed out.

"We've also spoken to Elphaba briefly about spending more time in the Vinkus after graduation," Kasmira said.

Ibrahim nodded. "Yes. We called in to Shiz last November and took them to dinner."

"We want her to be as prepared for our life as she can be," Kasmira continued. "I know it's important to Yero that she feel at home in the Vinkus."

"And that's important to us too, of course," Ibrahim added, looking to reassure the Governor.

Frex frowned. "She has responsibilities at home."

Ibrahim frowned too, darker than before. "With all due respect, Governor, those responsibilities can and should be held by a housekeeper."

Frex froze, just for a moment.

Kasmira smiled, still polite but definitely cooler than before.

"Fiyero has told us about Elphaba's home life, you see," she said quietly.

Frex didn't know what to say. What exactly had the prince told his parents? More importantly, what had Elphaba told the boy?

"She looks out for her sister," he finally said.

It wasn't a lie.

"She's her sister's nursemaid and your housekeeper," Ibrahim corrected him. "She's about to graduate with honours in a double major of Politics and Law. She's grossly over qualified to be planning dinner parties."

Frex bristled. "I'm sure your wife does plenty of that herself," he said coolly.

"At times I do," Kasmira replied admittedly. "But it was my choice and I have a staff to help me. A choice never extended to Elphaba."

"I didn't ask to meet you both for critiques on how I parent my daughters," Frex said stiffly.

"Then why _did_ you ask to meet us?" Ibrahim asked him.

Frex took another drink before meeting their gaze directly. The time for politeness was gone. This was the time to make him move.

"You can't honestly approve of this ridiculous idea?"

Ibrahim had an excellent poker face. He had to have one, dealing with some of the more ridiculous or horrible things he had to deal with on a daily basis. And it came in handy at times with Fiyero, too.

But even Ibrahim couldn't hide the expressions flickering across his face now.

"And which ridiculous idea would that be?" His voice dropped a few degrees, but was still no match for the ice in Frex's tone.

" _Elphaba_ as future _queen."_

"I see nothing ridiculous about that."

"She's not going to be _future queen,"_ Kasmira added. "She's going to be Fiyero's wife. Her role as queen is just something that will come with that, and we have no doubts she'll do a wonderful job when the time comes."

"What exactly is it that you think we object to, Frexspar?" Ibrahim asked. "Or rather, what do _you_ object to?"

Frex's eyes narrowed. "I am looking out for my daughter's best interests."

Ibrahim audibly scoffed. "I can't work out whether you object to the idea of your daughter being happy and loved; or if you think everyone is as small minded and judgmental as you are."

Frex's face darkened, a spot of colour rising in each cheek. If Elphaba had been there, she would have recognised the expression immediately.

Of course she would, it was usually directed at her.

"Ibrahim," Kasmira murmured quietly, placing a hand on her husband's arm. "We have _never_ told Fiyero who he should marry, and we never would," she told Frex firmly.

"Our hope has always been that he would marry someone that he loved and who made him happy, and who was willing to reign alongside him. He couldn't have chosen better than Elphaba. We're thrillified that one day, she will be a part of our family. There is nothing you can do to stop this, Frexspar."

Frex wasn't going to surrender that easily, however.

"The people will never accept her as queen."

"The people don't know her," Ibrahim countered. "She's only visited the Vinkus three times in the past two years. But they know Fiyero has settled immensely since he met her," he added, a distinct note of pride in his tone.

"And once she graduates and spends more time in the Vinkus, and the people see how wonderful she is, I have no doubt they'll support her as their future queen," Kasmira vowed.

"Elphaba is pigheaded, argumentative and disrespectful. Hardly what you want in a monarch."

"I'm not surprised she's disrespectful to someone who looks at her like something he stepped in," Ibrahim said coldly.

Frex slammed his empty scotch glass on to the table with a bang.

"You know _nothing_ about my relationship with my daughter," he hissed.

"But we _do,"_ Ibrahim retorted.

"Elphaba has said nothing to us herself," Kasmira said quickly.

She didn't want to cause any more trouble for Elphaba than necessary. Having Frex think Elphaba was badmouthing her father to the king and queen, would definishly be trouble.

"But Fiyero has told us things, and they have come from Elphaba or things he's witnessed himself. He _has_ seen you and Elphaba together," she reminded him.

"The utterly ridiculous thing is that Elphaba is able to _rationalise_ and _justify_ your treatment of her," Ibrahim said quietly, glowering at the governor.

"All because she was born green, something she had no control over. Do you realise how ludicrous that is?"

Frex snapped, his face growing even darker.

"And what if they have green children?!" he demanded, louder than intended.

A few people looked over curiously, and the three heads of state remained silent and still until they had looked away.

"How ludicrous will that be? How will _you_ react?"

Ibrahim's face was blank. "I believe the appropriate response will be _'the baby clearly takes after it's mother'_ ," he said quietly.

Kasmira was desperately trying to maintain the peace here, but even she was at her limit of her patience.

"We knew the moment Fiyero introduced us to Elphaba that this relationship was serious," Kasmira told Frexspar. "The colour of her skin has not been an issue for Fiyero or for us."

"Elphaba and Fiyero are not anywhere _near_ the point of having children right now," she continued. "But let's get one thing straight right now. The _only_ thing you have any say over regarding our future grandchildren, is deciding what they call you."

"And 'Grandpa' is taken, because I've already claimed that," Ibrahim interjected mildly.

Kasmira gave her husband an exasperated look before continuing her rebuke of Frex.

"If you mistreat them in any way, there _will_ be consequences."

Kasmira didn't get angry very often. Fiyero often said, for that reason, she was "way scarier" than Ibrahim.

"If Mom's mad, you're in trouble and you need to run," he said. "It's the eyes. You can always tell by the eyes."

Not that Frex knew this, of course. But if Fiyero could see his mother's face now, he wouldn't be sticking around for long.

"Now," she said pleasantly, reaching into her purse and retrieving a small notebook and a pen. Her tone did not match the ice in her eyes, and it threw Frex off guard.

"While we're here, there _are_ a few things we should discuss. Although I would prefer Elphaba and Fiyero were here."

"Things?" Frex questioned in surprise.

His only intent for this meeting had been to find out the king and queen's true feelings on Elphaba and to convince them of the insanity of the match.

"There are traditions to be upheld," Kasmira explained. "If we go over them now, there won't be any debates later, will there?"

Her tone held no room for argument.

"Now, before the wedding, Elphaba will have to convert to Lurlinism."

"We're Unionists," Frex argued immediately.

"Elphaba's an atheist," Ibrahim corrected him.

He shrugged. "It doesn't matter, really. It's just in name. There hasn't been a practising Lurlinist on the throne since my grandfather. But any children will be christened as Lurlinists."

"And Elphaba has agreed to this?" Frex asked sceptically.

Ibrahim grinned faintly. "Once I promised her she wouldn't have to actually go to church, except on Lurlinemas, yes."

Frex glared at his empty glass and signalled across the room brusquely for the waiter to come and refill it.

"She understands that by choosing to be with Fiyero, there are compromises to make," Kasmira said firmly. "We spoke about this at Lurlinemas, and she's willing to do it."

With a fresh glass of scotch in hand, Frex scoffed.

"And what _compromises_ is your son making?"

Ibrahim was tempted to reply that Fiyero was agreeing to have Frex as a father in law, but chose not to, although he was sure the intent of having this be a civil meeting had long since dissipated.

"Fiyero has been making compromises his entire life," he said instead.

"Yes, his reputation suggests as much," Frex said dryly, sneering faintly.

Kasmira's eyes flashed. "Fiyero was young and struggling with his responsibilities," she said icily. "It's not an excuse, but it is what it is. He's not that boy anymore, and Elphaba is much of the reason why. Other than insulting our son and your daughter, do you have anything else you wanted to accomplish from this meeting, Governor? You clearly don't approve of the match, so why bother meeting with us?"

"I did hope you'd see the insanity behind the match," Frex admitted. "But I see now I'm going to lose that point," he scowled at that.

"You lost that point the moment we sat down," Ibrahim told him.

Kasmira made a note in her notebook. "We'd like to invite Elphaba to stay in September. The Vinkus has our annual fig festival then, and it would be a good time to introduce her to the public a little. The decision is Elphaba's, of course, but I'm going to offer you the courtesy of checking if that is convenient for you?"

Frex paused, gritting his teeth slightly.

"Lovely," Kasmira said, taking his silence for reluctant agreement. "Now, Fiyero's said nothing to us about when he plans to propose, but I expect them to be engaged in about a year or so. Once they _are_ engaged, it makes sense for Elphaba to move to the Vinkus in order to begin learning her duties. It's hard to do that from Munchkinland, as I'm sure you can imagine. And of course she'll need to be around for the wedding plans."

"But I don't get offered the courtesy about _that_?" Frex demanded.

"We're telling you about it," Ibrahim pointed out. "As always, the choice is Elphaba's. But, aside from her sister, I can't imagine she'll have any complaints about leaving Munchkinland, can you?"

Frex winced at that.

"Nessarose will find it difficult being separated from her sister," he said, his voice softening for the first time.

"I imagine _Elphaba_ will find it difficult too," Kasmira said sharply. "But Nessarose is welcome to visit any time, I'm sure."

The more the king and queen spoke, the more Frex came to the horrendible realisation that this was essentially a done deal. They- the king and queen, Elphaba and presumably the Tiggular boy himself- had this all planned out.

The timeline was vague, but the details were all there. They had clearly discussed this. Elphaba had visited them the previous summer, although surely that hadn't been discussed then?

Apparently, Elphaba no longer resented her life being planned for her- only the plan _he_ had made for her.

This meeting had been Frex's one shot at bringing sanity back to this whole situation, hoping they had the common sense Elphaba was lacking. And he'd lost, and with it, lost face with the king and queen.

"Did you have any other _details_ you wanted to discuss?" Ibrahim asked him.

Frex gritted his teeth tightly, a muscle in his jaw working furiously as he thought.

"I would prefer that Elphaba does not hear about this conversation," he said finally.

The king and queen exchanged a glance.

"We don't typically keep secrets from our son," Ibrahim replied slowly. "Especially ones that involve him. And I daresay he doesn't keep secrets from Elphaba, either."

Kasmira regarded Frex sternly. "Elphaba is not going to appreciate you meeting with us with the intent of destroying the future of her relationship. But, as much as I'm reluctant to cause her any distress, I believe she should know."

Frex's lip curled ever so slightly. "So, either I tell her or you will? Is that what you're saying?"

"No, I'm saying we will tell her," Kasmira replied immediately. "If we'd known she was unaware of this meeting, we would have refused. Does Elphaba even know you wrote to us?"

Frex's silence said it all.

"I think we're done here, Governor," Ibrahim said. "We'll coordinate dates with Elphaba for her to visit in the fall. We'll tell her you've agreed to the plan."

"I expect we'll see you at the graduation ceremony in a few months," Kasmira added. "I think perhaps our families should have dinner together at the time. To discuss things _with_ Elphaba and Fiyero, don't you agree? Ensure we're all on the same page, as it were."

The king slid out of the booth and offered a hand to his wife.

"Have a safe journey back to Munchkinland, Governor Thropp," he said cordially and the royals left the restaurant.

Frex's jaw clenched. He'd played all his cards, and lost every single one.

"Would you like the bill, sir?"

Frex glanced at at the waiter who had materialised next to his table.

"Another scotch," he said brusquely.

The waiter nodded and disappeared again.

When it arrived, Frex took a sip, scowling across the restaurant.

Beyond the windows, the city streets gleamed.

Frex hated the Emerald City.

 **AN. I was so torn because I've done the 'meet the parents' thing before and wasn't sure how could make it different. (Granted I've done Elphaba meeting Fiyero's more than Fiyero meet Frex, but I have done both)**

 **Then I had the idea "what about the parents meeting each other?" I wrote 10 000 and then got stuck. It wasn't flowing and it wasn't interesting. Came up with a different approach- which you've just read.**

 **Then it got long. Very long. Suddenly, I had 3 more chapters- 1 made of bits I saved from the 10 000 word draft I originally wrote (the non-terrible parts) and then another 2.**

 **Would you guys like me to post these too, or are you happy with just the oneshot?**


	2. Before

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

 **AN. Well, people very much were in favour of posting the other 3 chapters, so here we go. (And wow. I don't know how this got so many reviews when I can barely manage 5 reviews for a chapter of AF, I don't know. Is it because there was a Yes or No question to answer?)**

 **This chapter takes place before the last chapter, hence the title.**

 **II- Before**

There are certain milestones that every couple must face.

There's the first date, first kiss, the first exchange of "I love you", the first time you meet the significant other's parents.

The order may differ slightly, but they all happen at some point. And following all that, comes another series of milestones.

The acknowledgment that the relationship is serious, where a long term future can no longer be denied. The recognition that the intent is to spend the rest of their lives together, and all that it entails.

In the case of Elphaba and Fiyero, that particular milestone occurred about a year and a half into their relationship, during a dinner date one November evening. Fiyero's parents had come into town and taken them out for dinner, and the topic had arisen. Now the king and queen had retired back to their hotel for the evening, leaving the couple to linger over coffee and the remnants of the discussion of their future.

In typical Elphaba fashion, she found the admission was timed rather inconveniently- they were only a few weeks away from midterm exams, and she was already deep in study mode.

It had taken a lot for Fiyero to draw her away from her books for dinner. If Ibrahim and Kasmira hadn't been in town, she would have refused the offer. And now facing the overwhelming discussion they'd had, her whole future- _marriage!-_ stretched out before her, she still rather wished she had declined.

"Fae, we don't have to get married tomorrow," Fiyero reminded her gently, picking up on the thoughts flickering across her face. "There's no deadline."

He knew at least she'd want to finish school first.

"But it still changes things," Elphaba replied, fiddling with her napkin.

"How? I mean, besides the fact we obviously can't mention this to Glinda, otherwise she'll be nagging me to propose the minute we graduate."

Elphaba scoffed at the small likelihood of Glinda even allowing Fiyero _that_ time if the blonde were to find out their plans.

And Elphaba had no doubt she would. Glinda seemed to have a sixth sense for when there was gossip- it was almost impossible to keep something a secret from her. And Glinda was almost at good at finding out secrets as she was at immediately not keeping them.

"I'm going to have tell my father something at some point," Elphaba said to Fiyero with a heavy sigh. "You know what he's like."

Fiyero did know, unfortunately.

Frex remained more suspicious of Elphaba and Fiyero's relationship than Fiyero thought a father who cared so little for his daughter really had a right to be. When he'd discoverated that Elphaba and Fiyero were dating during the previous summer, Frex had demanded answers from Elphaba about their relationship that she simply didn't have.

They'd been dating for only a little over two months at the time, and Elphaba had balked at Frex's interrogation (her words). She'd managed to put him off with a reluctant agreement to let Frex and Fiyero meet when they returned to Shiz in the fall, but Fiyero had likewise failed to satisfy Frex's curiosity.

At least the Governor seemed to have come to terms with the fact he could not stop the relationship, although he definishly wasn't happy about it.

When Fiyero had invited Elphaba to the Vinkus over Lurlinemas to meet his parents, Frex had reluctantly permitted her to attend, mostly with Nessa's encouragement.

"What do I tell him?"

"Why do we have to tell him anything?" Fiyero asked. "I mean, it's not like he's going to be all _'Hey Elphaba, welcome home. Congrats on acing your midterms, and hey, how's that devilishly handsome and charming young man of yours?'"_

Elphaba let out a burst of laughter that attracted stares from the tables around theirs.

"Oh, Oz, if he said anything of the sort, I'd think he'd gone mad," she choked out between giggles.

Fiyero grinned. "See? So there's nothing to worry about."

Elphaba sobered somewhat at that. "I still don't think it'll be that easy."

Fiyero took her hand from across the table and squeezed her hand. "If for _some_ reason it comes up- he has a stroke, or an abrupt personality change or something, tell him the truth."

Elphaba raised an eyebrow ever so slightly.

"Tell him that I love you, and one day, I'm going to marry you."

Elphaba couldn't stop the soft smile from spreading across her face. She never thought she'd hear those words, or imagine how happy the idea would make her. But it was quite clear to her by now- there was no life, no future for her, that didn't involve her being with Fiyero.

Even with all that entailed.

Fiyero's brow creased slightly, looking thoughtful. "And maybe add in that we're not sleeping together. Just to stop his head from threatening to explode."

Elphaba laughed again.

"I don't think he'd believe me if I _did_ tell him," she replied.

Fiyero grimaced. "Well, it was worth a shot."

Elphaba highly doubted Frex would think any more warmly towards Fiyero if he knew they weren't sleeping together, but she decided not to tell Fiyero that.

It took Glinda only fifteen minutes to pry the news from Elphaba when she finally returned to her dorm room that night, a record even by her standards.

" _You're going to marry Fiyero?!"_ the blonde squealed.

Elphaba winced at the sheer volume of her voice, and shushed her. " _Keep your voice down._ It's late, and I don't need the whole campus knowing. But yes… one day. A _long_ time from now, so don't go getting any ideas," she warned her.

Elphaba briefly thought back on a similar night almost two years ago, Glinda telling her that she and Fiyero were to be married. She wondered if Glinda was thinking of the same thing.

Glinda merely pouted. "How long is 'a long time'?" she demanded.

Elphaba sighed exasperatedly. "I don't know, Glin. A few years? We're not in any rush, we're still in school," she pointed out.

Glinda clearly wasn't happy with that answer but didn't push. Which normally would have made Elphaba suspicious, but she quickly was drawn back into study mode for the upcoming exams.

Within a few weeks, finals were over, dorm rooms were packed up and Elphaba, Nessarose and Boq were on their way back to Munchkinland for the holiday.

As far as Elphaba was concerned, it was going to be a long few weeks. Glinda had floated the idea to their group of meeting in the Emerald City before school resumed (maybe for New Year), but there were no firm plans. Elphaba was eager for any excuse to escape Munchkinland (and her father), but Nessa seemed to be looking forward to having a quiet break at home, at least for now.

When they arrived at Colwen Grounds, it was business as usual. Frex greeted Nessa warmly, with a gift "for doing so well in your exams" (despite the fact that the results hadn't even come out yet). He'd greeted Elphaba coolly, and informed her he'd invited six people to dinner the following night, which she was to organise.

Elphaba didn't so much as blink an eye, merely nodded and turned to her cookbooks to look for ideas as soon as Nessa was settled.

It wasn't until they were eating dinner that Frex finally directed the conversation towards Elphaba, after Nessa had given him a detailed recount of everything that had happened since she last saw him.

"Elphaba. You studied for your midterms, I trust?"

"I thought about it, but then decided just to wing it instead," Elphaba replied without thinking, sarcasm lacing her tone.

Frex stilled for a moment, and looked up from his meal to stare at her.

Elphaba sighed lightly, stabbing at a potato on her plate. "Yes, Father. I studied. I think I did well," she added, not that he had asked.

Frex made a noise in his throat. "Hm. I suppose we'll see when your results arrive."

"I guess so," Elphaba muttered disdainfully.

The condescension and scepticism in his tone grated on her. She was tired after the long trip home from Shiz, she wasn't looking forward to having to prepare for a dinner party at such short notice… and she already missed Fiyero so much it hurt.

She wished she'd taken him and his parents' up on his invitation to go to the Vinkus for break, but Nessa had been eager to come home. So Elphaba had come home.

Not that Frex cared about any of that.

"I hope you haven't let the boy distract you."

Elphaba bristled, putting down her cutlery. "' _The boy's_ name is _Fiyero."_

"Watch your tone, Elphaba," Frex warned her.

"No," Elphaba said firmly, straightening her shoulders.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Nessa's eyes widen.

" _Fabala_ ," her sister breathed, a silent warning in her eyes.

Elphaba ignored her. "You know his name, you've met him- you _insisted_ on meeting him. And he was perfectly polite to you."

Frex actually snorted. "Perfectly polite? The boy couldn't give me a straight answer about his intentions."

"You don't care about his intentions," Elphaba retorted. "No matter what he said, you wouldn't have taken him seriously. You only wanted to meet him to grill him about his past. To make sure he's not going to make trouble for Nessa," she accused him.

"Elphaba," Nessa interjected quickly. "Father wouldn't-"

"I am looking out for your sister, to protect her future," Frex snapped, cutting Nessa off. "Which is supposed to be _your_ job."

"Father," Nessa turned to him, visibly upset. It was fair to say this wasn't how she'd envisioned their first night home going.

"Fiyero's my friend, and I know he loves Elphaba very much."

"She doesn't need _protection_ from Fiyero," Elphaba exclaimed furiously, pushing back her chair and rising to her feet. "He's going to be her brother-in-law, Oz dammit!"

The shatter of glass ushered in a stunned silence, but for once, Elphaba wasn't the cause of it.

Frex had evidently squeezed his wine glass in shock at Elphaba's proclamation, his face paling as he stared at Elphaba, oblivious to the red wine now steadily staining the tablecloth.

Nessa could only gape at her sister silently, as Elphaba mentally cursed her own temper. She hadn't intended to let that slip.

"Fiyero, despite his former reputation, should demand your respect as royalty. Even if you don't care that he's my boyfriend," she said to her father quietly, forcing herself to take calming breaths, lest she lose control of her magic and cause more mess.

"Obviously that doesn't matter to you. But _one day,_ he's going to be family. He's going to be your son-in-law, and I think the _least_ you could do, is use his damn name."

With that, Elphaba abandoned her dinner and left the dining room, retreating up the stairs to her bedroom.

 _Shit._

Elphaba shut the door behind her and sagged against it wearily, uttering a quiet groan.

She hadn't imagined _that_ being how she told her father the news, and certainly not how she'd wanted Nessa to find out.

Truth be told, Elphaba would have been quite content for Frex not to know anything- until the time came for Fiyero to ask for Elphaba's hand in marriage, which she already knew he'd be doing.

"I don't know why," Elphaba had grumbled. "We both know he's going to say no, and I'm not a piece of property. Aren't we past the stage of buying a wife in exchange for two cows and a goat?"

Fiyero had wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him gently. "Oh, come on, Fae. You're worth at least _two_ goats as well as the cows," he'd reassured her with a teasing grin to which Elphaba had only glared furiously at him.

He'd laughed and kissed her temple softly. "I won't be asking for his permission, I'll be asking for his blessing. Which even if I don't get, isn't going to stop me from marrying you. But it _is_ a tradition, and I'd like to try and be respectful."

With a heavy sigh, Elphaba sank onto her bed and reached for a pen and paper.

 _Dear Yero,_ she started to write.

 _You're going to laugh when you read this, I know. I wish you wouldn't, but I know you too well to think otherwise._

With a heavy sigh that she wished she could communicate with words in her letter, Elphaba recounted what had happened at dinner, or at least started to.

She was only a few paragraphs in when there came a knock at her door. Elphaba immediately stilled and shoved the notepad under her pillow.

"Yes?"

The door opened, and there stood Frex.

Elphaba sat stiffly, trying to remember the last time her father had actually knocked on her door.

"Living room, Elphaba. Now," Frex said quietly.

Surprise flickered over Elphaba's face for a moment. Traditionally, lectures and admonishes were carried out in Frex's study.

She rose from the bed slowly, following her father downstairs where Nessa met them. Nessa didn't look at Elphaba as she sat on the couch, which made Elphaba frown.

Frex sat in his usual armchair, but said nothing.

Elphaba said nothing in kind, still trying to catch her sister's eye.

"You and the b-" Frex cut himself off as Elphaba's shoulders stiffened once more and she set her jaw determinedly.

Frex paused, cleared his throat and seemed to suppress a grimace. "You and _Fiyero,"_ he said carefully, sounding almost as if it caused him pain to speak the name. "You're engaged?"

Elphaba's mouth fell open slightly. "What? No," she said quickly.

Probably too quickly.

Frex raised an eyebrow at her silently.

"We're not engaged," Elphaba repeated firmly. "Not yet," she added, before Frex could relax too much.

Her mouth went dry under her father's gaze, which didn't happen very often. She lowered her gaze, choosing to stare at her clasped hands instead.

"We are- that is, our _intention,"_ she said, unable to resist the slight dig. "Is to get married eventually, however. After we're finished with school."

Silence met her, and Elphaba summoned the courage to meet her father's gaze, lifting her chin stubbornly.

"We've been together for well over a year now," she said. "We love each other."

"And his parents?"

Elphaba stared at him in bewilderment. "What _about_ his parents?"

"Do they approve?"

Elphaba faltered. She had always found Fiyero's parents to be warm and welcoming, and Fiyero had reassured her repeatedly that they had loved her. But, although they had candidly told her what life marrying into the royal family was like and what would be expected of her, they had never explicitly said whether or not the king and queen approved of her as a future daughter-in-law. Let alone as a future queen.

She was fairly confident they did, but she wished she had a definitive answer for her father.

"I've been told I'm welcome to visit the Vinkus any time I wish," she answered at length.

That wasn't an answer and they both knew it.

Frex nodded, made a noise in his throat, and then promptly got up and left the room.

Elphaba heard his footsteps head down the hall, and then the click of his study door as it closed behind him.

"That was weird," she said.

Nessa was silent.

"Nessa?"

Nessarose slowly wheeled her chair around to face her sister.

"You and Fiyero are going to get married?" she asked quietly.

Elphaba sighed softly, her face softening. "Not for a long time yet, Nessie. We're talking _years_ from now. I'm not going anywhere any time soon," she promised.

"How long have you known this? When was this decided?" Nessa demanded.

Elphaba wrinkled her nose slightly. "A few weeks ago, I guess? Before midterms. Why?"

"You didn't tell me. Why didn't you tell me? I bet you told Glinda, didn't you?"

Elphaba winced, recognising the hurt in her sister's eyes.

"Oh, Nessa," she sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she apologised. "I just- I was kind of coming to terms with it myself, you know? It's a big deal. And then we had exams, and everything was so crazy…"

Elphaba reached over and grabbed Nessa's hands.

"I didn't exactly _tell_ Glinda. She knew something was up the minute I walked in the door, and I just… confirmed what it was. You _know_ what she's like with a secret, she's like a bloodhound," Elphaba said earnestly and Nessa couldn't help but laugh slightly.

"She is," she agreed, then sobered. "But she's also horrendible at _keeping_ secrets, and she hasn't breathed a _word_ about this."

Elphaba grimaced. "I told her if she said anything, I'd either destroy half of her shoes or keep her out of the wedding party whenever it _does_ happen," she admitted. "You can guess which one of those threats was more effective."

She shrugged. "I don't need her nagging Fiyero to propose every five minutes. And I wanted to tell you myself. Not like this," she admitted. "But I promise I was going to, Nessa."

Nessa paused and then finally nodded. "Ok," she said quietly. "I believe you."

Elphaba smiled, but knew Nessa was still slightly hurt and feeling left out.

"We could go have some cocoa… I'll tell you what happened," she offered, trying to make amends. "Not even Glinda knows that," she added as an extra incentive.

Nessa's lips curved into a knowing smile as she nodded. "That sounds nice," she said quietly.

Elphaba hugged her lightly as she got to her feet, grabbing the handles of her chair to push Nessa to the kitchen.

"Why would you only destroy half of Glinda's shoes?" Nessa wondered aloud. "She has so many pairs."

Elphaba smirked, although Nessa couldn't see it.

"I didn't mean half of her collection. I meant one shoe from every pair."

Nessa couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of Glinda's face at that threat, although they both knew that wasn't the threat that had ensured the blonde's silence.

Alone in his study, Frex sat in his chair, frowning at the blank piece of paper on the desk before him.

Elphaba thought she was going to marry the Vinkun prince.

It was a joke. An absolute joke.

Frex had thought from the beginning that this "relationship" was a joke. He'd been waiting since he first heard about the Tiggular boy worming his way into his daughters' lives; certain that this would end in scandal, and wipe away with it Nessa's future and what was left of their family reputation.

He'd been reluctantly willing to tolerate this in the meantime, waiting for either the boy to tire of her, or for Elphaba to come to her senses. The idea Elphaba and the boy would delude themselves into thinking they had a future together, had never crossed his mind. Clearly he'd underestimated Elphaba's stupidity.

There was no way the king and queen would agree to this marriage, Frex was sure. Elphaba was _green,_ and she was certainly no royalty.

Even if Elphaba and the prince were deluded, his parents would be smarter, he was sure.

His mind resolved, Frex picked up his pen and began to write.

" _Your Majesties,_

 _This is Governor Frexspar Thropp of Munchkinland. I believe you are acquainted with my eldest daughter, Elphaba._

 _I'm writing to arrange a meeting at your earliest convenience. I know we have corresponded briefly before, but I think it is important that we meet. I think we have much to talk about."_

 **AN. I had an anonymous review asking if I'd ever considered writing an alternate ending to _The Right Thing To Do,_ where Fiyero and Glinda go through with the marriage. The answer is yes- probably a oneshot, but I figured it'd be very depressing and no one would want to read it. **

**But maybe I'm wrong. I'm going to leave it up to you.**

 **Also, I am- as always- tremendously grateful to all those who take the time to leave a review. But, if it's not asking too much, could I trouble you all to leave even a hint of what it is about the chapter/story you liked? Only it does help me think about what things you guys like to read for future. Do you guys prefer evil Frex or nice Frex? Do you like the Elphaba/Nessa sister stuff? The threats to Glinda's shoe collection? (there's a glitch with so I can't reply, but I will as soon as it's fixed!)**


	3. After

**DISCLAIMER: Still not mine.**

 **AN. This is** _ **much**_ **shorter than the first 2 chapters, but still.**

 **III- After**

Even from his study, Frex heard the front door slam.

It slammed so hard that the whole house trembled as though an earthquake had hit.

Alarmed, Frex dropped the papers he was reading and rose from his chair. The house was empty, save for him and the housekeeper employed when the girls were at school, and he was expecting no visitors.

He left his study and stepped into the hall. Where he came face to face with a furious Elphaba.

"How did you get here?" he asked in surprise. "Why aren't you at school? _Where_ is Nessarose?" he demanded, his tone sharpening as he neither saw nor heard any sign of Nessarose.

Elphaba chuckled breathlessly.

"Nessa is at school," she replied. "And why do you _think_ I'm here?"

Frex said nothing.

"How _dare_ you?" Elphaba choked out. "How dare you meet with Fiyero's parents to discuss _my_ relationship? You had _no_ right."

So Ibrahim and Kasmira _had_ told Elphaba about their meeting the other day. Of course.

Frex raised an eyebrow. "On the contrary," he said coolly. "I had every right."

He turned and re-entered his study, resuming his seat and picking up his papers as Elphaba stormed into the room after him.

"What gives you any right over my future with Fiyero?" she demanded.

"I _believe_ ," Frex said unconcernedly, turning a page of the paper and not looking up at her. "You intend to marry their son. Making you the eventual queen of the Vinkus."

Elphaba was torn between flinching at the title which still seemed surreal to her, and bristling at the disdain in her father's tone.

"I thought if that was the case, our families should meet. To discuss matters."

"What matters?" Elphaba demanded. " _Why_ would you write to Fiyero's parents?"

"Because I had no intention of meeting them for the first time after the engagement has been announced, Elphaba," Frex said impatiently.

"Any engagement that proceeds will be a political relationship as much as anything else. There are matters and concerns which must be dealt with, and there is a certain timeline to follow."

" _Bullshit_ ," Elphaba spat, finally gaining her father's full attention. "You think they didn't tell Fiyero and I _exactly_ what you said to them? You went there with the hope they'd disapprove of me just as much as you do," she accused him.

Frex couldn't deny that.

"Watch your tone, young lady," he warned her. "I am your father, and you will not speak to me that way."

Elphaba laughed hollowly. "Ibrahim has been more of a father to me in the fourteen months that I've known him, than _you've_ been in my entire life," she said bitterly. "He actually gives a crap, you see."

Her voice shook slightly, but her eyes were dry.

"At first, I wondered why you're so against this. Because after all, once I move to the Vinkus, aren't I out of your hair? I'm not your problem anymore, right? And then I just thought you hate me so much, you can't stand the idea of me being happy. But then I realised."

Frex couldn't bring himself to avoid her eyes, for whatever reason.

"Once I marry Fiyero, I'll be gone. You'll lose me as Nessa's caregiver, as your housekeeper, which will be inconvenient for you. But you still won't be rid of me. You'll _never_ be rid of me. Because once I marry Fiyero, I'm going to be royalty. And all of Oz will know my name, and know that I'm your daughter. You won't be able to pretend outside of this house that I don't exist anymore. And what I think you _really_ hate? As princess and queen, I'm going to have a better life than Nessarose. I'm going to have more power than her."

Frex leaned back in his chair. "It must be terribly flattering," he said composedly, rather dryly. "To think that my entire life revolves around you and your being miserable."

"I'm not the one who went to the Emerald City to try convince my future in-laws that I'd be a horrendible queen," Elphaba shot back.

"And you came all this way in the middle of the semester to yell at me?"

"I'm sure you'd do the same for me," Elphaba snarked sarcastically.

Frex's eyes narrowed. "I won't apologise," he said stiffly.

"Nor will I," Elphaba retorted. "I didn't come to demand an apology. Or even an explanation. I'm here to tell you that I'm done."

"You're done?" Frex repeated sceptically. "With what exactly, Elphaba?"

"Done with _you,"_ Elphaba stressed. "I'm not coming back after graduation. Once I leave here today, I'll never step foot in Munchkinland again as long as you live," she vowed.

Frex didn't look surprised. In fact, he almost smirked at her, lifting his chin confidently.

"No," he said calmly. "You'll never abandon Nessarose."

He was calling her bluff and they both knew it. They both knew Nessa was Elphaba's weakness.

But she was also Frex's weakness, and Elphaba knew _that._

"I don't have to abandon her and I don't plan to," Elphaba replied. "Because you'll never stop her from writing or visiting me if that's what she wants."

Frex's face darkened slightly. Because she was right.

"And where exactly will you go? The Vinkus?"

"Eventually," Elphaba agreed.

In truth, she hadn't quite worked that out yet. All she knew, was that Munchkinland wasn't an option. But she had some semblance of a plan.

Even now, Glinda was upstairs in her bedroom frantically packing Elphaba's meagre belongings into suitcases. Elphaba didn't trust her father not to destroy anything she owned after this. She was going to spend the summer after graduation with Glinda, the girls had agreed before in the carriage ride from Shiz to Munchkinland; and then she would visit the Vinkus for the annual fig festival in the fall, but beyond that hadn't been decided on yet.

But she met her father's gaze defiantly, letting no trace of that uncertainty linger across her face. She knew this wouldn't be the last time she ever saw him- there would be graduation for one; but Elphaba wanted to ensure she left now on her terms. With her in control.

"So, congratulotions," she said bitterly. "I'm no longer your problem."

She turned and left the study, pausing briefly to turn back in the doorway.

"Also, Nessa knows exactly what you did. She knows that I'm here and why. I hope you can convince her that you had a good reason, because when I left her, she trying really hard to defend you."

Frex was still as she walked out of the room. He heard her footsteps fade away, the murmur of voices and then the distant sound of the front door closing- much gentler that it had upon her arrival.

Frex rose from his seat once more and swiftly left the study. He reached the front door in time to see Elphaba disappear into a carriage, followed by a blonde girl- the Upland girl, he recalled.

The top of the carriage was loaded with boxes and cases, which made Frex frown.

As the carriage departed down the drive, Frex swept upstairs and down the hall to Elphaba's bedroom, throwing open the door.

It had been stripped bare. Only the furniture remained, everything Elphaba had not taken to school with her after Lurlinemas break was gone.

She really had no intention of coming back, he realised.

Elphaba was no longer his problem.

So, why didn't he feel relieved?


	4. Postcript

**DISCLAIMER: Nope.**

 **AN. I kind of feel really bad for ending this now, because people seem really keen for a lot more! But... well, there is no more. This is it.**

 **Also, I'd like to thank Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for getting engaged at the right moment, so I had access to get the wording right without having to dig through the net for William and Catherine's engagement announcement.**

 **IV- Postscripts**

 **STATEMENT FROM WERILLAH EV:**

 _ **Monday, 12th September 1939**_

Their Royal Majesties, King Ibrahim and Queen Kasmira are thrillified to announce the engagement of their son, His Royal Highness Prince Fiyero to Ms Elphaba Thropp, formerly of Munchkinland.

Prince Fiyero proposed last week during the couple's visit to the Emerald City, after obtaining the blessing of both the King and Queen and Ms Thropp's family. Prince Fiyero and Ms Thropp have informed their families and close friends of the happy news and are looking forward to festivating with them in due course.

The wedding will take place in late winter of 1940 at the Wodinn Cathedral, as per tradition. Further details will be announced at a later date.

Following the wedding, Ms Thropp will be known as Her Royal Highness, Princess Elphaba Tiggular. The couple will live at Dunn Mor in the Great Kells City.

* * *

 **THE MUNCHKINLAND POST:** _ **Munchkinland's Own Becomes Vinkun Princess**_

 _ **Sunday, 18th February 1940**_

 _There were celebrations throughout all of Oz yesterday, as Prince Fiyero Tiggular of the Vinkus married Elphaba Melena Thropp, now henceforth known as Her Royal Highness, Princess Elphaba Tiggular._

 _Thousands lined the streets between Werillah Ev, the main royal residence since 1884 and the Wodinn Cathedral, where all royal weddings have taken place since the wedding of the Princess Sarisha Dahl-Tigelaar to Duke Jove Tigelaar in 1570, the union which began the House of Tiggular (then Tigelaar. The spelling changed to Tiggular in 1688)._

 _Indeed, some avid royal watchers had been lining up since Friday morning, eager to catch a glimpse of their new princess on her way to the cathedral._

 _For many, the marriage was a long time coming. Elphaba and Fiyero first met while studying at Shiz University in January 1936 and began dating in April of that same year. Elphaba was studying a double major of politics and law, while Fiyero majored in politics with a minor economics._

 _They announced their engagement in September last year, the official announcement from the palace coming a week after Fiyero proposed during a trip to the Emerald City._

 _Fiyero, 28, arrived at the cathedral at 10:30 am, accompanied by his best man, Shiz University classmate and Munchkinland native, Boq Underhill, 23. To the delight of the crowds assembled outside, Fiyero took a few moments to greet some of the well-wishers before heading inside._

 _The Vinkun royals, King Ibrahim and Queen Kasmira, arrived a few minutes later and were seen conversing with family and invited nobles before going inside to take their seats._

 _The guest list, including the bridal party, totalled less than a hundred. The small ceremony raised eyebrows among some members of parliament, but sources say Elphaba and Fiyero were determined to keep their wedding as intimate as possible._

 _Elphaba, 25, arrived with maid of honour Glinda Upland [of the Upper Uplands], 23, daughter of Gilderoy and Lillianah Upland, who were also in attendance; and her sister and bridesmaid, Nessarose Thropp, 21._

 _The crowds went wild as they got their first glimpse of their future princess. The bridesmaids wore matching one-shouldered golden gowns; while Elphaba's wedding gown was a silk organza sheath with a two- foot train, long sleeves and high neckline. All three dresses were designed by Vinkun dressmaker, Dove Mosser._

 _The level of secrecy around the dress has been circling since the engagement was announced, with bookmakers taking bets on who would design the royal wedding dress; and what it would look like. Mosser was one of the highest options, offering odds of 6 to 1._

 _Elphaba didn't meet with onlookers as Fiyero did, but she did offer some smiles and waves briefly before heading inside. Her bouquet was wild white and yellow roses, the floral emblem of the Vinkus. The expected cornflowers, representing Munchkinland through our floral emblem, were not present; a move sure to cause speculation among Munchkins, although Elphaba hasn't returned to Munchkinland since Lurlinemas of 1937._

 _Elphaba walked down the aisle alone. Governor Thropp did not attend._

 _The couple recited their vows and exchanged rings in the presence of the guests, and at precisely 12.28 pm, emerged from the cathedral amidst the cheers of the crowd._

 _An open-air carriage carried the royal couple back to Werillah Ev, the King and Queen following behind with the remainder of the bridal party. More excited onlookers awaited them there, gathering outside the castle to await the traditional balcony appearance of the royal couple- the first official public appearance of the prince and their new princess._

 _They appeared briefly alongside the King and Queen on the balcony to wave to the crowds, and Fiyero bestowed a kiss on his blushing bride as the crowd roared their approval._

 _Afterwards, the reception was held in the Werillah Ev ballroom. Press were barred, but insiders report the festivations continued until after midnight._

 _The Prince and new Princess are expected to honeymoon in the Emerald City. Bookmakers are now taking bets on when the next heir to the throne can be expected._

 _In the meantime, Her Royal Highness Princess Elphaba will officially start her royal duties when they return. Among serving as a patron to several charities, she is expected to work alongside His Majesty King Ibrahim to develop new laws to protect Animal rights in the Vinkus._

* * *

 **STATEMENT FROM WERILLAH EV:**

 _ **Wednesday, May 20th 1942**_

Their Royal Majesties, King Ibrahim and Queen Kasmira are thrillified to announce that HRH Prince Fiyero and Princess Elphaba are expecting their first child this spring.

Princess Elphaba is in excellent health, and she and Prince Fiyero are excited to be expanding their own family.

Their families and friends are absolutely delighted.

The announcement means that Princess Elphaba and Prince Fiyero will be unable to complete their arranged state visit to Gilikin in the fall.

Princess Elphaba asks for understanding during the next six months if she is unable to fulfil all her royal duties and commitments to the best of her ability, recognising that she must prioritise her own health and wellbeing and that of the child.

His Majesty King Ibrahim wishes to offer bookmakers excellent odds in favour of the first grandchild being named for a royal ancestor. Queen Kasmira encourages all Vinkuns to gamble responsibly.

The Prince and Princess ask that all those wishing to send gifts, instead please make a donation to a local children's charity of your choosing.

* * *

 **THE VINKUN CHRONICLE:** _ **New Princess Born!**_

 _ **Tuesday, November 10th 1942**_

 _Palace officials from Werillah Ev announced late yesterday evening that HRH Princess Elphaba has given birth to her first child, a daughter._

 _The new Princess was born at 3.54 am, after Her Highness went into labour late Sunday morning, the official statement said. Prince Fiyero was by his wife's side to welcome their daughter into the world._

 _The official statement, now on display at the front of Werillah Ev for public viewing, simply stated that the princess was born and mother and child were in good health. However, sources from the palace reveal that the princess was born not at Dunn Mor, but at the Greater Kells Hospital._

 _The queen's private secretary confirmed that the princess was rushed to hospital around three am on Monday morning, after midwives feared the baby was in distress. The baby was born via caesarean section shortly after, and given a clean bill of health by midwives._

 _The King and Queen arrived at the hospital after breakfast to meet their granddaughter, as did Glinda Upland, and Nessarose and Boq Underhill, Elphaba's sister and brother-in-law, who were married earlier this year._

 _Palace officials sent another statement at the time of print._

" _Their Royal Highnesses Prince Fiyero and Princess Elphaba are delighted to announce the arrival of their daughter, Princess Odede Melena Tiggular, 18 inches long and weighing eight pounds, two ounces. She is healthy, beautiful and already ridiculously doted upon by her grandparents, aunt, uncle and godmother. She is named for her paternal great-grandmother [Queen Kasmira's mother, Countess Odede Sutcliffe], and her maternal grandmother [Melena Thropp]._

 _Prince Fiyero has fond memories of his grandmother Odede, and while Princess Elphaba has little memory of her mother, they are thrillified that they can honour these women in their lives through their daughter._

 _Prince Fiyero and Princess Elphaba would especially like to extend their thanks to the midwives, doctor and hospital staff who helped bring the princess safely into the world._

 _Because of this, they kindly request that anyone wishing to send gifts would instead make a donation in Princess Odede's name to the hospital or a children's charity."_

 _Countess Sutcliffe, the Queen's mother, died when Fiyero was nine. Melena Thropp died in 1917, in childbirth with Elphaba's sister._

 _The King and Queen have already made a donation to the hospital in gratitude to the staff, and it is expected the Mr and Mrs Underhill and Miss Upland will follow suit._

 _There has been no word from Governor Thropp, the Princess's father, from whom she is estranged. Aside from her sister's wedding, they have not been sighted together since Princess Elphaba's graduation from Shiz University._

 _Insiders say he has no plans to visit the Vinkus to meet his granddaughter._

* * *

December 1st, 1943

Dearest Nessie,

I'm so sorry to hear you and Boq won't be joining us at Dunn Mor for Lurlinemas this year, but incredibly thrillified to hear the reason why- I'm going to be an aunt!

I hope you're starting to feel better by the time this reaches you. If not, try drinking ginger tea of a morning before you get up. It was a miracle worker for me when I was suffering morning sickness with Odie.

I do wish I could be there and be more of help, but I shall bombard you with advice from now until June, don't you worry! But I suppose with Dr Jardine, the midwife and Boq's mother, you won't be lacking with people to help you.

Please don't feel bad about not coming for Lurlinemas, Nessie. Your health and the health of my niece or nephew is most important. Odie is only just over a year old, and she's still far more interested in the wrapping paper than any actual gifts or Lurlinemas traditions. I don't know how she's going to sit through the service at church on Lurlinemas morning. Now that she's walking unaided (Oz that sounds so surreal to say), keeping her still for more than a moment is a struggle.

How is Boq feeling now? Don't tell him I told you this, but Fiyero laughed when I read him that Boq fainted upon hearing the news. He laughed so hard he fell off the couch, which I told him served him right. He wasn't too steady himself when I told him I was expecting Odie, a fact he seems to have forgotten now.

Speaking of whom, as I said, she's practically running now. I think she's skipping the walking stage entirely. But her vocabulary has grown to include a third word- "uh-oh". It came out when she dropped a block she was playing with. Fiyero said it, and she repeated it.

I think he's more delighted than when she said "dada", but it's a reminder that we have to be very careful with what we say around her now!

I'm sure you'll experience all the same moments eventually! Would you like us to come out in the summer? Or we can merely come for the christening, whenever its planned for. Odede will be old enough for the journey then, I think, although it'll take far longer than usual.

I can't say I'm eager to see Father again, or for Odie to meet him (and him her), but for your sake and the baby's, I'm willing to endure it.

Glinda is coming for the holidays- not for Lurlinemas itself, but for the New Year. She's bringing her new "beau" as she called him in her last letter (if she refers to him as that while they're here, I don't think I can stop myself from rolling my eyes), Duke Caron Foxe. Neither Yero or I have met him before nor know much about him.

Glinda hasn't said much beside how wonderful he is. I know you're going to ask me if it's serious and if she loves him, but you know Glinda- she falls hard and fast. But don't you worry, he'll go through a thorough close watch and scrutiny while he's here, and I'll report all my findings to you afterwards.

Fiyero said we're practicing for when Odie starts dating… and then quickly decided he wasn't ready to think about that prospect just yet.

I can't write as much as I'd like, I'm off to a charity function this afternoon. But I'm so thrillified for you and Boq, Nessa. If you're even half the wonderful mother that you are an aunt, this baby is going to be very lucky indeed.

Give all my love to Boq, and remind him sternly to make sure he looks after you. Let me know when you'd like us to come out, and I'll post your Lurlinemas gifts next week.

All our love,

Elphaba, Fiyero and Odie.

 **AN. I was legit writing the article about the wedding when the news of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement broke and I was shook (this is how the cool kids talk, yeah? LOL)**


End file.
